Illinois at Minnesota Prediction - College Football Picks 11/4/23
The Illinois Fighting Illini will make the trip up to Minneapolis to meet the Minnesota Golden Gophers in Big Ten play from Huntington Bank Stadium. These two states have history on the field dating back to 1900, and while Minnesota holds a 40-32-3 series lead, Illinois has won the last two matchups.
Illinois Fighting Illini Preview
Illinois fell to 3-5 after falling to Wisconsin in Champaign by four, 25-21. The Fighting Illini were unable to hold off the Badgers in the final quarter, and looked to bounce back here in the Twin Cities. The Illinois offense is scoring 20.4 ppg, while passing for 226.0 ypg, rushing for 139.5 ypg, and converting 34% of their third downs.
Illinois Player Notes
• Luke Altmyer had his best dual threat effort of the season versus Wisconsin, passing for 100 yards, while also rushing for 100 yards and tossing a pair of picks. The Starkville native hasn’t been able to lift Illinois down the stretch this year, and he’ll be in for another stingy Big Ten battle here with Minnesota. Altmyer has thrown for 1,671 yards, with ten touchdowns to nine interceptions, and he’s rushed for 307 yards and three more scores thru eight starts.
• Freshman back Kaden Feagin has scored in the consecutive games, and he leads the Illini in rushing with 329 yards on 67 touches.
• St. Louis native Isaiah Williams leads Illinois in receptions (46) and receptions (562).
• The Illinois defense has allowed 27.7 points per game.
Minnesota Golden Gophers Preview
Minnesota moved to 5-3 after defeating Michigan State at home, 27-12. The Golden Gophers scored three times in the fourth quarter to defeat the Spartans, and they’ll now look to register a third straight win this weekend. The Minnesota offense is scoring 20.3 ppg, while passing for 131.9 ypg, rushing for 131.7 ypg, and converting 36% of their third downs.
Minnesota Player Notes
• Athan Kaliakmanis played well against MSU, passing for a season-high 200 yards with a touchdown toss and a pick. Serviceable is all you need sometimes at the quarterback position in the Big Ten, and the sophomore quarterback has brought that energy nearly each time out this season. Kaliakmanis has passed for 1,123 yards, with seven touchdowns to seven interceptions through eight starts.
• Freshman back Darius Taylor returned after missing a pair of games to pick up where he left off with 59 yards in the win over Iowa, and he leads Minny in rushing yards (591).
• Sophomore RB Jordan Nubin went off for 204 yards and two scores in the win over Michigan State.
• Senior wideout Daniel Jackson went for a season-high 120 yards in the win over MSU, and he leads Minnesota in receptions (36) and receiving yards (508).
• The Minnesota defense is allowing 24.2 points per game.
Illinois vs Minnesota Trends
• ILL is 1-7 against the spread, with a 3-5 O/U record.
• MINN is 3-5 ATS, with a 3-5 over/under record.
Corey’s Free Pick
Bret Bielema’s squad has taken a noticeable step back on both sides of the ball, and it’s hard to warrant trusting them on the road after what we’ve seen from them this season. Minnesota has picked up a pair of solid wins, and aside from an expected, lopsided loss to Michigan, they’ve been flawless at home this year. The Under will be in play due to the ruggedness both teams play with, but let’s back the Gophers here on their home turf.
AUTHOR: Corey Ghee
